Laura Perez, Apache Corp.
Luis Guanacas, Neil Johnson, and Victor Gonzalez, Odessa Separator Inc.
This paper introduces a multi-layered application to tackle two major challenges in unconventional wells within the Permian Basin: gas slugs and high gas-liquid ratios (GLRs) that disrupt electric submersible pump (ESP) operations, and sand fallback during ESP shutdowns, which can cause equipment failures like plugged pumps and broken shafts. These issues reduce efficiency, increase downtime, and drive-up operational costs.
The solution features a gas handler system that regulates free gas flow before it reaches the ESP intake, converting slug flow into dispersed bubble flow. It also incorporates a sand fallback management system, installed above the ESP discharge, which prevents sand settling in the pump stages during shutdowns caused by gas slugs or surface facility issues. The system supports surface injection rates of more than 8 barrels per minute, enables detailed inspection and repair post-retrieval, and accommodates flow rates up to 15,000 BPD with sand concentrations as high as 23,000 mg/L.
Four case studies from the Delaware Basin, where ESP operations were historically hindered by gas and sand, demonstrate the system's effectiveness. Following the installation of the gas flow management tool below the ESP and the sand fallback regulation tool above it, production increased significantly, and operational stability improved. By extending ESP runtime and minimizing premature failures, the solution enhances profitability and reduces the carbon footprint of operations.